Betts, who was placed on the seven-day concussion list earlier this week, is in a “much-improved state” after a good day Saturday, according to Red Sox manager John Farrell.

“Mookie seemed to turn a corner yesterday,” Farrell said before Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. “Headache has disappeared.”

Betts suffered a concussion Tuesday night when he tumbled over the right field wall and into the Red Sox’s bullpen at Fenway Park while trying to make a catch against the Chicago White Sox. The 22-year-old must go through Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol before returning to action, but he was scheduled to undergo exertion testing Sunday that involved running on a treadmill and riding a stationary bike.

“Even when he says he runs up stairs there’s no dizziness, there’s no pressure in the head,” Farrell said Sunday. “That wasn’t the case two days ago. So like I said, he seemingly has turned a corner.”

Betts will not travel to New York for the Red Sox’s three-game series against the Yankees. He’s expected to join the Red Sox in Detroit, where they begin a three-game series Friday against the Tigers.

Larry Lucchino announced Saturday that he’d be stepping down as Boston Red Sox president and CEO at the end of the season, and he likely already has a successor.

COO Sam Kennedy joined the Red Sox with Lucchino in 2002 and has been working under him since then. Kennedy already has Lucchino’s endorsement to be promoted to team president and said he’s learned some very important details about the job in the meantime.

“It’s work ethic,” Kennedy said on NESN’s “Red Sox Gameday Live” ahead of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “We need to outwork our competition. What does that mean? That means being here day in (and) day out, being responsive to every fan whether it’s an email or a phone call, getting back to people, driving an agenda hard.

“Larry’s work ethic, I hope has rubbed off on me. I know it’s rubbed off on legions of baseball executives out there in Major League Baseball.”

BOSTON — Ryan Cook was playing cards Friday in a Triple-A clubhouse in Nashville when he received a call from Oakland Athletics assistant general manager David Forst informing him he had been traded to the Red Sox just before the Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline.

Cook’s now ready for whatever.

“I’m excited. I’m excited to get over here,” Cook said before Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays upon joining the Red Sox at Fenway Park. “I got the call and I couldn’t get on the plane fast enough to get over here.”

Cook will give the Red Sox additional bullpen depth down the stretch, though his specific role within the unit is unclear. Boston can use the final two months of the season to determine whether the right-handed reliever might fit into its major league plans for 2016. The 28-year-old has had success at the big league level in the past, so he represents a buy-low acquisition with upside for the Red Sox.

“Honest to goodness, I haven’t had a chance (to discuss my role with the Red Sox),” Cook said. “I got on the plane, got here, got in late. I’ll fit in wherever they need me to fit in.”

Cook appeared in just four games with the A’s this season after making 54 appearances for Oakland in 2014. He totaled 142 appearances between 2012 and 2013, during which he posted a 2.30 ERA, a 1.11 WHIP and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings over 140 2/3 innings. He was an American League All-Star in 2012.

“It’s been a wild ride this year for me, for sure,” said Cook, who posted a 4.05 ERA in 30 appearances with Triple-A Nashville before Friday’s trade. “It’s been a grind. But as of late, it’s been a lot better and I’m excited to get here and help as much as I can.

“I tried to change a few things up in spring training, and in doing so, it pushed me back and then I kind of had to learn my delivery over again,” Cook added of his up-and-down 2015 campaign. “It took a little bit longer than I wanted it to, but I feel like I’m back to where I need to be.”

The Red Sox’s clubhouse is full of new faces for Cook, who knows most of them only through playing against them. But Cook came up in the Arizona Diamondbacks system with Red Sox starter Wade Miley, so perhaps that will help ease his transition into a new setting.

Believe it or not, there once was a time when people wanted the Boston Red Sox out of Fenway Park. But President and CEO Larry Lucchino played a big part in keeping the team in its iconic home.

After Lucchino announced Saturday that he’d be stepping down from his position at the end of the season, NESN Red Sox announcer Jerry Remy reflected on Lucchino’s accomplishments during his tenure. Remy said on “Red Sox First Pitch” ahead of Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays it’s likely the Red Sox would be playing in another park if it wasn’t for Lucchino, as he was the one who helped put seats on the Green Monster and oversaw extensive renovations of the 103-year-old ballpark in his 13-year run.

Larry Lucchino is stepping down as president and CEO of the Boston Red Sox.

Lucchino, who turns 70 in September, has been with the Red Sox since the current ownership group purchased the club in February 2002. Boston has won three World Series in that stretch.

Lucchino issued the following statement Sunday:

“As far back as 2004, the year of our first world championship, I started to plan for the day when I would want to cut back a little. I even inserted a clause to that effect in my contract.

Then, after the 2013 season, I had further conversations with John Henry, Tom Werner, and Mike Gordon regarding a time in the future when I might transition to a new role and reduce my responsibilities. After all, it’s a wonderful job, but it’s a demanding job.

I believe the end of this year is a good time for this change. We would have preferred to announce all of our transition plans at once, including my new role, but I can tell you we all feel strongly that Sam Kennedy, who has been with me for 20 years, should be the next President of the Boston Red Sox. Sam will do a terrific job. He is able, well-prepared, and fiercely dedicated to the Red Sox and to Boston.

I have been blessed to have outstanding partners, and I plan to continue working with John, Tom, Mike, Sam, and all of our partners in meeting the challenges that lie ahead for the Red Sox. I am also deeply proud of our extraordinary front office. They work together harmoniously and effectively, and each member has my gratitude, admiration, and respect.

I have now been President/CEO of the Red Sox for 14 years. I love the Red Sox, I love Fenway Park, and I love Boston. It’s my home. It’s never easy to leave a job you love, but I look forward to the next chapters.”

The Red Sox placed Porcello on the 15-day disabled list before Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Porcello is dealing with right triceps soreness/inflammation that developed after his last start Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, according to Red Sox manager John Farrell.

“The best we could have done would have been to push him back to Saturday to give him ample time, but felt like that was going to be too much of a risk,” Farrell said. “We feel like it’s a short-term thing, but at the same time, we need to back him out of there, because he wasn’t going to be able to throw a bullpen (Sunday). While the symptoms are improving, there’s still soreness there.”

Porcello was rocked his last time out against Chicago. He allowed six runs (five earned) on 10 hits, including two home runs, over just two innings en route to his 11th loss of the season. It’s been a disappointing first year in Boston for Porcello, who owns a 5.81 ERA in 20 starts, and this latest setback — described as a “right triceps strain” — certainly doesn’t help matters.

“This wasn’t something that was lingering,” Farrell said. “This just cropped up after this last start.”

The Red Sox, who are off Monday, have yet to name a starter for Tuesday’s series opener against the New York Yankees in the Bronx. Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez are scheduled to start Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

The Red Sox added right-handed reliever Ryan Cook to the active roster Sunday in a corresponding roster move. Boston acquired Cook from the Oakland Athletics before Friday’s Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline.

The Boston Red Sox didn’t change their lineup one bit Sunday after the offense exploded for 11 runs in an 11-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. A win Sunday would give the Red Sox their third sweep of the season and their first against an American League East opponent.

However, Sunday’s lineup means third baseman Pablo Sandoval will be riding the pine for the third straight game after taking a Chris Sale fastball off the forearm Thursday against the Chicago White Sox, forcing him to leave that game early. But Sandoval’s replacement Travis Shaw did just fine Saturday, smacking his first two MLB home runs.

Wade Miley will be on the bump for Boston and certainly will be looking to improve upon his last start. The left-hander was tagged for seven runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings of work in a 9-4 loss to the White Sox on Tuesday. Miley has had some success against the Rays this season, though, going 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 11 strikeouts in two starts against them.

If you’re looking to send summer out with a bang before the kids head back to school, look no further than the Boston Red Sox’s “End of Summer Family Packs.”

For the Red Sox’s home stretch from Aug. 17 to 23, the team is offering packages that include game tickets, free parking at the Prudential Center Garage, a free Duck Tour ride from the garage to Fenway Park, activity booklets for kids and a hot dog and a soda for each ticket holder. There also will be Duck Tour rides back to the parking lot 30 minutes after the final out.

“We strive to make Fenway Park as accessible as possible for families so that fans of all ages have the opportunity to attend Red Sox games,” Red Sox senior vice president of marketing and brand development Adam Grossman said in a press release. “This program has been a hit with families since it started in 2013. Along with the added convenience of free parking, hot dogs and sodas, the Duck Boat ride to the ballpark creates a memorable Red Sox experience for the entire family, all included in the price of the ticket.”

Tickets start at $32 apiece and are available in the infield and outfield grandstands, the right field box and the bleachers. The home stretch begins with a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians and ends with a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals.

BOSTON — This isn’t a video game or fantasy baseball. We’re not dealing with trading cards (they still exist, right?) or POGs (remember those?).

The Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline is a nice time to take stock of the league, including one’s own organization, but such due diligence doesn’t always lead to significant movement in the moment. And for the Red Sox, a team stationed in last place in the American League East, that’s OK.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said after Friday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline that the organization had a “productive” week despite its trade inactivity. According to the GM, the Sox considered options, gathered information and ultimately stepped away from the bargaining table without any new toys but with a much clearer view of the marketplace.

Fair enough. It’s not exactly a jolt of positivity — something Boston could use — amid another disastrous season. And it’s understandably frustrating for a fan base to sit in the corner while the rest of the league parties. But the Red Sox obviously weren’t going to be buyers, at least as it pertains to this season, and they, unlike last season, had very few valuable assets to sell. Standing pat is par for the course.

The Red Sox’s 2016 chances will hinge on what the team’s able to accomplish this offseason. Boston needs to improve in several areas, with pitching and defense being chief among them.

“I see the two as connected. I think we need to improve in both areas,” Cherington said. “Some of that undoubtedly will have to be with some additions from outside. We think we know more about what those possibilities are now than we did a week ago, and a lot of that has to do with improving internally — guys that are here right now, getting more out of those guys. But I think the pitching and defense has to improve, and we see those things as connected.”

Perhaps the Red Sox could have been more proactive in addressing such needs at the deadline, giving them a head-start on their offseason retooling, much like they did last season — or tried to do, at least — when they acquired Joe Kelly, Allen Craig and Yoenis Cespedes (since traded for Rick Porcello) in trades involving John Lackey and Jon Lester. But the Red Sox were under more pressure to make deals in 2014 with Lester and fellow left-hander Andrew Miller set to hit free agency. There was no hourglass this time around.

Sure, there’s probably something to be gained from exposing a player to a new environment for half a season before relying on him for meaningful contributions the following campaign. We’re all humans, and easing into a new setting often is easier than being plopped into the middle of it amid lofty expectations. Acquiring players for next season at this year’s deadline would have made sense in that regard.

But on the other hand, the Red Sox now have more time for internal evaluations before determining which prospects they’re comfortable trading. This is especially important in the cases of Eduardo Rodriguez, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson — any of whom could fit into Boston’s 2016 Opening Day rotation plans.

“We’re willing to give up young talent to build a good team going forward in 2016,” Cherington said. “But we have to look at and consider what alternatives are there, and we pursued some things last week and talked about a lot of different things.”

Look, would it have been cool for the Red Sox to land Carlos Carrasco from the Cleveland Indians or Tyson Ross from the San Diego Padres? Sure. Even nabbing Cole Hamels, while more expensive, would have been understandable for a team in desperate need of starting pitching.

But neither Carrasco nor Ross was dealt, and the free-agent market this winter figures to be full of impact arms. So, unless you’re a Hamels fanatic, it’s not like the Red Sox let a huge opportunity slip away, even if it might seem that way on the surface based on their lack of activity relative to others.

BOSTON — While it might be too little, too late, even with 57 games remaining, the Red Sox have looked like a good baseball team dating back to Thursday night.

The Red Sox extended their winning streak to three games Saturday with an 11-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Boston’s offense produced 16 hits, continuing an impressive stretch for the unit.

Saturday’s win improved the Red Sox’s record at home to 27-27, though they’re still 11 games under .500 overall (47-58) and 12 games back of the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.

— The Red Sox are hitting .332 (84-for-253) with 25 extra-base hits over their last seven games. They’ve scored 51 runs in that stretch, their most in any seven-game stretch since September 2013.

— Travis Shaw, who was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game, led the charge by going 4-for-4 with two homers, a double, a single, a walk, three RBIs and five runs scored.

Shaw needed a triple for the cycle in his final at-bat. He instead launched his second home run.

“It’s in your head. Everybody’s talking about it,” Shaw said of the cycle. “If you hit the ball in the gap, everybody’s like, ‘Don’t stop running.’ But I’ll take the homer.”

Shaw became the first Red Sox player since at least 1914 to record four hits, five runs scored and 11 total bases in a single game. His five runs scored were the most by a Boston rookie since Walt Dropo scored five on June 8, 1950.

— The last Red Sox player before Shaw to hit his first career home run as part of a multihomer performance? Ryan Lavarnway on Sept. 27, 2011, against the Baltimore Orioles.

— Xander Bogaerts made a little history, too.

Bogaerts, who went 4-for-5 with a double and three RBIs, has six career four-hit games, tying him with Carl Yastrzemski for the second-most four-hit games by a Red Sox player before turning 23 years old. Ted Williams is the only Red Sox player ever to have more four-hit games (eight) before turning 23.

“We’re watching a guy really blossom into his own right in front of our eyes,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “It’s multiple hits a game, he’s right in the middle of it.”

Bogaerts also became the eighth Red Sox player in the last 100 years to compile at least 100 RBIs before turning 23.

— The one question surrounding Bogaerts — it’s admittedly unfair to nitpick given how awesome he’s been this season — pertains to his power and whether his home run numbers will increase as he continues to develop. Bogaerts, who almost homered Saturday, has just three homers this season.

“I know I have the power, so I’m definitely not even worried about that at all,” Bogaerts said. “So as long as I keep doing what I’m doing right now, the power will come.”

Everything else is working just fine for Bogaerts, who’s hitting .319 this season, including .391 (34-for-87) with runners in scoring position. No complaints here.

— Rusney Castillo has looked much more comfortable in his return to Boston. These next two months are huge for the 28-year-old outfielder, as the Red Sox need to see what they have for next season.

Castillo tied a career-high with three hits and three RBIs. He’s hitting .400 (8-for-20) with a home run, two doubles, four RBIs and five runs scored over his last six games.

“The biggest difference from the previous time he was up with us is he’s handling pitches that are close to him,” Farrell said. “The swing is freed up a little bit, where he’s able to address some pitches on the inside part of the plate, where he was being attacked early on the previous time that he was up here with us.”

— Pablo Sandoval, who missed his second straight game after being struck on the wrist/forearm with a pitch Thursday night, swung in the cage Saturday. He’s still considered day to day.

“The strength in the grip is improving,” Farrell said. “There’s still some swelling and soreness there, so we’ll check him (Sunday) whether or not he’s going to be in the lineup (Sunday).”

The man’s epic struggle provided Red Sox fans with the perfect opportunity to hear NESN’s Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy have some fun at his expense. And the fan eventually figured out his poncho and saw the Red Sox win their third straight, so it wasn’t all bad news for him, either.

Travis Shaw powered the Red Sox to an 11-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday at Fenway Park. Boston manager John Farrell was asked after the victory whether he sees any similarities personality-wise between Shaw and the 25-year-old’s father, Jeff Shaw, with whom the skipper played alongside in Cleveland in the early 1990s. The question took Farrell down memory lane.

“No. Jeff never shut up. Travis is quiet,” Farrell joked. “They both have the last name ‘Shaw,’ but very different.”

The Red Sox recalled the younger Shaw from Triple-A Pawtucket before Saturday’s game, marking his fifth stint with Boston this season. He rewarded them by hammering two home runs, reaching base five times and scoring five runs amid the Red Sox’s offensive assault.

Shaw certainly didn’t learn how to hit from his father (a two-time All-Star closer), but as Farrell switched to a more serious tone, the Red Sox manager couldn’t help but wonder about the family impact.

“It makes you feel old that your teammates’ kids are now playing for you, that’s one thing,” Farrell said with a smile. “But still, son of a major leaguer, maybe that’s why a lot of this he keeps it in stride. He’s been around it his entire life.”

Shaw admitted after his breakout performance that growing up with his father in The Show has helped his own baseball career. If nothing else, he has a better idea of what to expect.

“He’s gone through everything I’ve gone through in my career so far, so he’s experienced it firsthand, so he kind of guides me through this whole process,” Shaw said.

If Farrell someday manages Travis’ kid, then maybe we’ll start tossing around the word “old” in connection with the Red Sox manager. But we’re not there yet, skip.

BOSTON — Travis Shaw might as well hold up a sign that says, “Hey guys, look at me.”

Shaw, recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, showed up to Fenway Park not knowing whether he’d be in the Boston Red Sox’s starting lineup. The 25-year-old left knowing he made the most of his opportunity to fill in for injured third baseman Pablo Sandoval.

Shaw launched two home runs — the first two of his major league career — and reached base five times in the first game of his fifth stint with the Red Sox this season. He scored five runs — the most by a Red Sox player since Dustin Pedroia scored five on Aug. 12, 2008 — and undoubtedly turned heads as Boston defeated Tampa Bay 11-7.

“Travis looks like he’s been here for years the way he swung the bat today, the way he played third base,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said after the win.

The Red Sox’s farm system has been lauded the past few seasons for being one of the best in Major League Baseball. Shaw isn’t considered a premium prospect, though, so his outburst against the Rays comes as a surprise. He had been just 3-for-15 in 16 big league plate appearances before going berserk.

“I felt pretty good at the plate,” Shaw said of his monster afternoon. “It was good to be able to come up here and get another opportunity. Just trying to make the most of my opportunities up here and try to help the team win any way that I can.”

Shaw has the generic lingo down, but it’s appropriate in his case. He’s been an under-the-radar farmhand since the Red Sox drafted him in the ninth round in 2011, and he’s now starting to make noise at the perfect time.

Mike Napoli, who went 0-for-5 on Saturday, is slated to hit free agency this offseason, meaning the Red Sox likely will need a new first baseman for 2016. Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez are potential candidates to assume Napoli’s vacated post, though the Red Sox could look outside the organization.

But perhaps there’s a third option that hasn’t been discussed all that much: Shaw.

While the Red Sox probably prefer someone with a proven track record, Shaw has shown power in the minors, totaling 21 homers in 128 games between Pawtucket and Double-A Portland last season. He also is known for having good plate discipline and can play both corner infield positions.

“Just very relaxed, confident, good swings, easy power to the stroke,” Farrell said.

No one is suggesting that Shaw is going to blossom into a Hall of Famer, which he looked like Saturday. But he also showed flashes of his potential in a three-hit effort July 7 against the Miami Marlins. Shaw could be positioning himself for an extended look in a lost season, if nothing else.

“I just try to control what I can control,” Shaw said. “Each day I’m in the lineup I’m here, just try to make the most of it and then hopefully that speaks for itself.”

“I like being a part of this organization,” he added. “I’m just trying to find my role right now and trying to earn my way up here to stay. I’m just trying to do whatever I can.”

Opportunities have been few and far between for Shaw to this point. And perhaps that still will be the case once Sandoval returns if Napoli remains with the organization beyond August. It’s difficult to ignore a huge performance like the one Shaw provided Saturday, though, especially when a first base vacancy looms large without a clear successor.

Each opportunity Shaw receives moving forward represents an open audition. So far, so good.

“Fourteen years in a 24/7 job is a lot,” Lucchino told The Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy on Saturday. “I’ll be 70 in September. That’s sort of why I’m ready to step back.”

Red Sox principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner confirmed the news to the Boston Herald, adding that Lucchino could remain involved with organization at the executive level in some capacity.

“I don’t believe at all that this is the end of Larry’s relationship with the club, but the beginning of a more diverse role — one in which he can begin to enjoy some of the fruits of his labor,” Henry told the Herald. “He almost certainly will continue to mentor and push for excellence internally over upcoming years.”

Added Werner: “We are hopeful and confident that we will conclude an agreement with Larry going forward where he will continue to be an integral part of upper management. He will have less of an everyday role, but he will continue to have an important strategic role, not just with the Red Sox but also within Major League Baseball.”

Sam Kennedy, currently the Red Sox’s executive vice president and COO, appears primed to assume the role of team president. Kennedy, a native of Brookline, Mass., previously worked under Lucchino with the San Diego Padres before moving back to Boston in 2002 to work under the current ownership group.

“Sam Kennedy is my choice to the next president of the Red Sox when I complete my contract at the end of the year,’’ Lucchino told The Globe. “This will be in effect when I complete my contract at the end of the season.’’

Lucchino also told the Herald: “The truth is Sam is an important part of this puzzle. He’s been working for me for 20 years, right out of college. He’s certainly my choice, as well as that of John and Tom, to be promoted to the position of president.”

Kennedy, 42, is widely respected within the organization, with Werner calling him “one of the rising stars of baseball” and “an absolute A-plus executive talent.”

“There’s been a longstanding transition plan in place for when Larry was ready to take a step back from the day to day,” Kennedy told the Herald. “I know what a privilege it is to work for the Red Sox. I grew up a mile from Fenway and I fully embrace the responsibility that will come with this opportunity. I’m grateful to Larry for his mentorship and John and Tom for their confidence in me.”

A new chapter might be coming in the Red Sox’s front office, but Lucchino certainly left his mark.

“We’ve won three world championships under his leadership and set the longest sellout streak in professional sports history,” Henry told the Herald. “His accomplishments are many and will have a lasting impact.”

The Boston Red Sox’s offense has been inconsistent at times this season, but there’s no doubt it’s capable of efforts like Saturday afternoon’s.

The Red Sox had 16 hits in an 11-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. One player who stepped up at the plate was shortstop Xander Bogaerts. He had four hits and raised his batting average to .319.

“We scored a lot of runs today,” Bogaerts said on “Red Sox Final” after Saturday’s win. “That’s what our offense is capable of on any given night, and we showed that today.

Shaw, who hit his first career major league home run Saturday in the third inning of the Boston Red Sox’s 11-7 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, stepped to the plate in the eighth inning needing just a triple for the cycle. The 25-year-old took things a step further, launching his second homer of the game — and of his career — to straightaway center field.

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The eighth-inning blast capped a huge day for Shaw, who was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before the game to fill in for injured third baseman Pablo Sandoval. Shaw reached base five times (two homers, a single, a double and a walk) and scored five runs as the Red Sox rolled to their third straight victory.

Shaw’s first home run to right field traveled an estimated 418 feet, according to ESPN Stats & Info. His second homer landed approximately 428 feet from home plate on the black tarp blocking off the center field bleachers for Saturday’s day game at Fenway.

Shaw is the first player this season to hit his first career home run as part of a multihomer game, according to ESPN Stats & Info. The last player to accomplish the feat was Chicago White Sox slugger Jose Abreu, who hit two home runs April 8, 2014, to kick off a 36-homer rookie season.

Shaw, who was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, had a huge day filling in for third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The 25-year-old drilled the first two home runs of his major league career as the Red Sox rolled to an 11-7 win.

The Red Sox have won three in a row on the heels of three straight losses to the Chicago White Sox.

GAME IN A WORD
Inspired.

The Red Sox could just pack it in this season. Instead, they are playing with energy — manager John Farrell noted the energy in the ballpark Friday night — and they look like a team with nothing to lose.

Boston’s offense produced 16 hits. The Red Sox scored in six of the eight innings in which they batted. The attack was highlighted by a four-run second inning against Rays starter Matt Moore, though Shaw’s monster afternoon was the biggest storyline.

Can the Red Sox ride the sudden wave of momentum? Who knows? Just enjoy it while you can.

IT WAS OVER WHEN…
The Red Sox scored two runs in the sixth inning to open a 9-6 lead.

The Rays scored six runs — two in each frame — between the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, turning a cakewalk into a dogfight. The Red Sox, who led 6-0 at one point, clung to a 7-6 advantage in the sixth. The Rays had just left the potential tying run in scoring position and would have tied the game if not for a caught stealing moments before Brandon Guyer delivered an RBI double to slice into the Red Sox’s lead.

The Red Sox, to their credit, seized momentum right back in the bottom of the sixth. David Ortiz and Shaw each walked against Steve Geltz and advanced a station on a wild pitch. Rusney Castillo knocked them in with a two-run single into right field. Shaw capped it with a nifty slide at the plate.

ON THE BUMP
— Joe Kelly isn’t doing himself any favors as far as holding down a spot in the Red Sox’s rotation.

Kelly, who was unimpressive in two starts since returning from Triple-A Pawtucket, allowed five earned runs on nine hits over five-plus innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Kelly found a rhythm in the first three innings. It came to a screeching halt in the fourth with the Red Sox leading 6-0. The right-hander surrendered two runs on three singles and a walk before recording an out.

The Rays chipped away again in the fifth inning. Kelly gave up three singles and hit a batter as Tampa Bay cut Boston’s lead to 6-4.

Kelly was removed in the sixth inning after Asdrubal Cabrera hit a ground-rule double and Kevin Kiermaier produced an RBI single to supply Tampa Bay’s fifth run.

— Justin Masterson replaced Kelly in the sixth inning. He allowed a run.

Masterson uncorked a wild pitch and walked a batter, setting up runners at first and second for Guyer, who pinch-hit for an injured Steven Souza Jr. The Red Sox recorded a big out when catcher Ryan Hanigan gunned down Kiermaier at third base on a stolen-base attempt — a play that was reviewed and upheld — but Guyer smoked a double that cut Boston’s lead to 7-6.

— Craig Breslow entered after the Red Sox increased their lead to 9-6 and worked a 1-2-3 seventh inning. He also recorded the first two outs in the eighth inning.

— Jean Machi recorded the final four outs, though he surrendered a solo homer to Logan Forsythe in the ninth inning.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Shaw took advantage of his opportunity by having a HUGE game. He reached base five times and scored five runs. He homered twice, marking the first two home runs of his major league career.

Shaw doubled in the second, homered in the third, singled in the fifth, walked in the sixth and homered again in the eighth.

For an afternoon, Shaw looked like the greatest player who ever lived.

— Xander Bogaerts had a big game, too. He raised his average to .319 with a four-hit effort.

Bogaerts connected on a two-run double in the second inning and an RBI single in the fifth inning. The double to right field nearly left the yard. It would have been Bogaerts’ first home run since June 15.

— Castillo elevated his game a day after an oh-for. He went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.

— Mike Napoli, who played the role of hero Friday night, was the only hitter in the Red Sox’s starting lineup who didn’t reach base. He went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts.

TWEET OF THE GAME
Travis Shaw. Stud.

Travis Shaw: 1st player this season to hit 1st career HR in multi-HR game
Last to do so: Jose Abreu, 4/8/14 (2 HR) http://t.co/wtLf66CVgG

The Boston Red Sox already had lost three straight to the Chicago White Sox and fell into an early hole to start the final game of the series Thursday night.

Enter Steven Wright.

After surrendering a two-run homer to Jose Abreu in the first inning, the Red Sox knuckleballer battened down the hatches and held the White Sox scoreless for the next six innings to help Boston earn an 8-2 win.

Wright last seven innings in total, surrendering two runs on six hits while striking out eight batters in a performance that earned him Amica Pitcher of the Week.

The outing arguably was the best start of the season for Wright, who has bounced between the big-league club and Triple-A Pawtucket while performing duties as a starter and a reliever. The 30-year-old improved his record to 4-4 with the win and dropped his ERA as a starter to 3.20 (14 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings).

Want to meet members of the Boston Red Sox on their home field while enjoying great food and live entertainment?

If so, you should stick around after Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Starting 45 minutes after that 1:35 p.m ET contest ends, Fenway Park will play host to the 10th annual “Picnic in the Park,” a unique event that benefits the Red Sox Scholars and RBI programs and allows fans the chance to rub elbows with some of their favorite players.

Clay Buchholz’s wife, Lindsay, joined NESN’s Gary Striewski on “Red Sox Gameday Live” to discuss all the event has to offer, which includes a BBQ dinner and a performance by the Boston Pops Jazz Band.

BOSTON — Consider it a renaissance. Consider it a silver lining in a disappointing season for the Red Sox. Consider it a reminder that David Ortiz still can hit a baseball better than most humans, even those who throw with their left arm.

Ortiz has been much better against left-handers of late, with the latest example coming Friday night, when the 39-year-old worked an 11-pitch walk against southpaw Jake McGee in the seventh inning to pave the way for Mike Napoli’s go-ahead home run in the Boston Red Sox’s 7-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

“His front foot was getting to the ground much better, and he’s staying on pitches and using the whole field better,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Ortiz’s noticeable improvement after Friday’s victory. “Against lefties, you see him let the ball travel a little bit deeper in the zone. That was the case, particularly in that at-bat.”

Ortiz entered Saturday batting .379 (11-for-29) with three homers against left-handers since July 1. He opened the season hitting .114 (9-for-79) with no homers versus lefties through June 30. Clearly, something clicked for Ortiz, who’s hitting .245 with 20 homers, 58 RBIs and an .804 OPS overall.

“I’m seeing the ball better now. I’m not trying to pull the ball much,” Ortiz said. “The beginning of the season, in my mind, velocity was an issue — seeing how left-handed pitchers are increasing their velocity, and pretty much all of them start behind you. In your head, you feel like you’ve got to cheat to hit it. And when they see you doing that, they go the opposite direction.

“At some point, I was like, you know what? I’m just going to trust my hands and let things happen like I used to do it.”